Does dental bonding work for filling in cavities? i've read that you can have a dental bonding procedure performed to fill in cavities. is this true? are there any advantages to it over regular fillings?

Bozeman, I : Bozeman, i met a nice dentist from bozeman at a vegas convention. He is a big guy who has a personality to match. Can't remember his name though. Anyway, dental bonding is a term patients commonly use to refer to composite restorations. This white filling material called composite is bonded to tooth structure. So, yes dental bonding is used to fill cavities rather than a silver filling, called amalgam. Every filling material has advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, composites advantage is esthetics, it looks good. However, it tends fail sooner due to new cavities. Every situation is different, so it is important to discuss the options with your dentist. Hope that is helpful, michael i. Wollock, dmd, agd fellow dentistry at suburban square 610-649-0313 www.Dentistryatsuburbansquare.Com.

I : I assume that you are referring to amalgam or silver fillings as "regular fillings", and "dental bonding" as bonded composite fillings. Either one replaces the lost tooth structure destroyed by cavities. Amalgam fillings look unesthetic, conduct hot and cold more to the nerves of the teeth, and therefore often cause more sensitivity when drinking or eating very hot and cold liquids or food. Bonded composite fillings sometimes wear more than amalgam fillings, but look more esthetic, often appear "invisible" and actually bond to tooth structure, thereby making them stronger, rather than weaker once filled. Generally speaking, i would much prefer to have bonded composite fillings in my own mouth as there are many more advantages to them. You and other readers should be aware that they are usally more costly and many insurance companies will not pay for the additional cost on posterior (or back) teeth, which is unfortunate.

Dental : Dental bonding, in lay terms, is just a white filling compared to a silver filling. Most people would like to have white fillings because it matches the tooth and it looks much more natural when you smile then a bunch of silver in your mouth. The disadvantages to you would be purely out of pocket since white fillings or bonds are more expensive than silver fillings. Some insurances cover only the teeth that are in the front and feel you can use the cheaper silver ones in the back since they can not be seen. In my mouth i would only have white bonded fillings because it just looks more natural.

When : When you mention dental bonding you are talking about placing a resin material on your teeth. Resin is routinely used now for fillings when people object to metal fillings. The only advantage is that it is more esthetic and metal-free if that is important to you.

Bonded composite: Is a far better filling material than amalgam (mercury) fillings. For several reasons. 1) amalgam expands and contracts at a far greater rate than tooth structure when having hot or cold foods, this difference causes chipped, cracked teeth and recurrent decay 2) greater tooth reduction needed when placing amalgam, retention grooves cut into healthy tooth= weaker tooth 3) toxic mercury in amalgam.

Part of the process: The process of dental bonding is a general procedure by which fillings, crowns, veneers, orthodontic brackets can be connected to teeth. It is a biochemical process by which these materials literally become chemically bonded to the tooth structure. The process is technique sensitive and varies slightly for each type of procedure, but it is very often used with fillings & very successful!